As I See It
Send some of that surplus our way
The state of Wisconsin remains flush with cash. More so than ever before. The latest numbers released yesterday show the state has the highest surplus in state history. The state ended the fiscal year with a surplus of more than $7 billion. That doesn’t even include another $1.8 billion in the state’s rainy day fund, also a record. Why then are Wisconsin cities struggling so much to make ends meet? In recent days we’ve heard that La Crosse is poised to make significant budget cuts in order to balance its books. The southside library? The decision has already been made to close it. Police won’t be able to request overtime, and some fire positions will go unfilled. The northside pool? That too could be shuttered as a result of budget cuts. The annual pickup of large items from our curb? Also a victim of budget cuts. Who knows what other popular city program will fall victim to the budget ax. Meanwhile, the state is sitting on billions, which for two years now has failed to come with a plan on how to spend it. Every idea the Governor has had, including a tax rebate, has been shot down by legislators. It seems a simple solution here. Spend some of that money to help cities like La Crosse make ends meet without having to raise taxes or cut well-liked services. If you are upset about La Crosse’s budget cuts, you can call the Mayor, but it is our state lawmakers who are the ones who can fix it, if they ever get to work and come up with a plan to spend that huge pile of cash.
walden
October 17, 2023 at 11:58 am
The WI legislature is trying to return “our” money. “Our” in the eyes of the legislature is the taxpayer. Instead, Evers wants to give the money to the government to spend. The City and County just spent a combined $50 million in covid funds; without a dime of relief for taxpayers. After that spending spree they are addicted to the money and want even more (just like the school district).
Furthermore, the WI legislature has approved a bill that would eliminate state income taxes for most retirees but Evers refuses to sign it.
The Dude
October 17, 2023 at 3:54 pm
Mr Shaw,
You and I share our want for a solid community and betterment for all of our residents. We differ in our vision or approach in how to achieve this. First I must say I voted as a democrat up until 2012 when I saw how the party changed.(think Affordable Care Act and…”We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it”…..huh???)
I would like to comment on the surplus and your view to give spend it or distribute it.
The $7b budget surplus largely due to a one time surplus from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money that was borrowed/printed by the Federal government (think it is like taking cash on your personal credit card). The increase from shared revenue in 2021 was 5.7%, 2022 was 3.3%, and in 2023 declined by 1.3%.
Now the $7b surplus is a fraction of the approximate $125b total Wisconsin state bi-annual budget. The surplus represents 5.6% of the budget.
I don’t know if you are married but I am. If our personal $20,000 annual budget has a 5.6% surplus ($1,120) because we took out our own $20,000 personal HOME Rescue Plan Act (HRPA)cash from our credit card in 2021, spent a good majority, then spent more in 2022,and now our children keep stating we have a 5.6% surplus (to them big money)”return it to me” ..lets spend it. It certainly would not be prudent as we know with rising costs our estimated budget for next year will be stressed.
We see the shortfall in the Lacrosse city budget even with the shared revenue (paid July & Nov) in the amount of $9,724,700.18 and we ask for more money from the state. Scott, where does that money come from? Another dip into the credit card cash advance pool? If you factor in all of the other cities, towns, and villages in the Ste of Wisconsin that experience the same budget hardships, who also want a larger piece of the “shared revenue”.
It is all relative, some individuals with a home value of $160k view an individual with a home valued at $640k as being overtly wealthy. Some individuals see a large $7b or 5.6% surplus of the total bi-annual budget as being an enormous surplus, it is not.
Let’s just say that we return the entire amount of the surplus in equal amounts to the individual tax payers. I would venture that with in a year due to increased costs of agencies, UW systems, administrative, maintenance, road repairs, state and municipal funding, etc. we will be increasing state tax to make up for the budget shortfall OR we could cut services.
In our household we have no debt, no car loans, both work full time and have a cleaning business. We are in our 60’s. We chose to pay off our debt and NOT continue to borrow. We have a budget and when inflation is hitting us hard we choose to trim our spending. We DO NOT go into our 5.6% surplus nor do we take out cash advances. But this is from a couple that is fiscally responsible and not looking for hand pouts.
Again I respect your view and truly think you want good it is just our approaches are different.
Lucenut
October 18, 2023 at 7:00 am
Please run for office! We need some of this sanity in our government.
Kent Porter
October 31, 2023 at 6:48 am
HOW ABOUT. SAVE IT FOR A RAINY DAY
Coolio
October 17, 2023 at 3:59 pm
Is it possible the previous irresponsible budgets with allocations for fixing the third pool with 3 million dollars, updating every park in the city and the unnecessary roundabouts and bump outs in small neighborhood streets had anything to do with this situation?
Coolio
October 17, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Is it possible the previous irresponsible budgets with allocations for fixing the third pool with 3 million dollars, updating every park in the city and the unnecessary roundabouts and bump outs in small neighborhood streets had anything to do with this situation?
Lucenut
October 18, 2023 at 7:02 am
Great comments here. Please run for office. We need to restore fiscal sanity to our government.